Chien-Ming Wang is Yanks' ace in hole

BALTIMORE - The Yankees' new ace flopped on Opening Day. Now it's up to their old one to pick up the pieces.

Chien-Ming Wang returns to the mound Wednesday at Camden Yards, nearly 10 months after he suffered a season-ending foot injury that cost him the final 3-1/2months of the 2008 campaign.

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After watching CC Sabathia get lit up for six runs in 4-1/3 innings on Monday, the Yankees are counting on Wang to pick up where he left off last year when his season abruptly ended.

"He's been a big part of the rotation," manager Joe Girardi said. "The two years previously, he had won 19 games. That's a No. 1 starter."

Wang hasn't received the same headlines that Sabathia and A.J. Burnett have, but his return to the mound will be just as crucial to the Yankees' success.

"It's almost like getting another free-agent pitcher, he's that big for us," Johnny Damon said. "He keeps the ball out of the air, he works quick and throws a ton of innings. He was dearly missed. When he went down, we had a rotating door in his spot all year."

"He was our ace, the guy we could call on to keep us close in games," Damon said. "Going without him, we were hoping we could get by somehow, but losing your ace is a tough thing to come back from."

Once Andy Pettitte developed shoulder problems at the beginning of August, Wang's absence was felt in the worst way.

"One pitcher like him can make a huge difference," Pettitte said. "It was a huge loss. He was our No.1 guy, and when you lose your No.1 starter, that's a major blow. He goes deep into games, so to lose all those innings, it puts more pressure on everybody else."

Wang's 38 wins in 2006-07 were the most in the majors, while his .745 winning percentage was the best among all pitchers with at least 200 innings during those two years - the first two full seasons of the righthander's career.

With Sabathia and Burnett joining Wang and Pettitte atop the rotation and Joba Chamberlain in the No.5 slot, the Yankees have assembled their strongest starting five since 2003. Pettitte, Roger Clemens, Mike Mussina and David Wells each racked up at least 208 innings that season, an accomplishment Pettitte is hoping to repeat.

"To have Wang back, for me to be healthy again, I feel like there are four of us who can each throw 200 innings," Pettitte said.